The year is 2024, and the influence of Ayurveda in the beauty and wellness landscape cannot be denied. Perhaps you have discovered the virtues of saffron in skin care for a brightening boost or maybe your après-dinner routine feels incomplete without a quick go at the tongue scraper. But while the ancient knowledge of Ayurveda continues to find relevance in modern times, it is accompanied by a worrying rise of misinformation and misrepresentation. We’ll get to why in a minute — but first, let’s set the record straight.
What is Ayurveda?
Stemming from the Sanskrit words “ayur” (life) and “veda” (knowledge), the ancient medical system of Ayurveda translates into knowledge of life. With historical roots dating back to 1,000 BC, this science is reported to have been transmitted orally from sages to their pupils, before dedicated efforts to document its wisdom were started. While a portion of these texts have been lost to posterity, several of the palm leaf manuscripts are preserved in libraries in India and Nepal.
Today, Ayurvedic knowledge is known to be anchored around the three doshas or life forces, which include vata (space and air), kapha (earth and water), and pitta (fire and water). The balance of the dynamic energy of these three doshas is purported to achieve harmony in the body. For example, if one’s pitta is off balance, they might experience gastroenterological issues, and an Ayurvedic remedy — like eating a fresh piece of ginger before every meal — would be suggested to rebalance the digestive system.
Ayurveda is the sister science of yoga, according to Ananta Ripa Ajmera, an Ayurvedic advisor at The Well in New York City who studied the methods of Ayurvedic healer Baba Ayodhya Nath Sinha, whose lineage stems back to ancient India. “What if you could take that feeling you get when you step off of your yoga mat and carry it into all aspects of your daily life?” That is what Ayurveda can do for your physical, emotional, and spiritual health for unlocking happiness from within, Ajmera explains.
Within the Indian subcontinent, Ayurveda serves as a traditional medicine system often practiced in tandem with Western medicine. A 2018 survey found that 80% of Indian households are consuming some form of Ayurvedic medicine. Its methodologies are highly-individualized — the Caraka Samhita, an Ayurvedic text, describes 10 parameters for patient assessment that help determine a unique treatment plan — which makes standardized clinical research difficult to conduct. That said, there has been an increasing — though still small — number of clinical studies that help quantify the impact of Ayurvedic practices. In 2021, a placebo-controlled study conducted at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Jaipur, India, evaluated the effect of Ayurvedic herbs on a group of 95 asymptomatic COVID-19 patients. According to the study, 100% of those in the treatment group fully recovered (as determined by swab tests) after one week as compared to 60% of those in the control group. There have also been promising studies on the use of Ayurvedic methods compared to Western therapies in treating knee osteoarthritis, though researchers have yet to isolate which specific factors were most beneficial, and say that further double-blind research with larger sample sizes is required.
Today, formal study in Ayurveda can be attained through the form of a Bachelor’s degree in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery that is offered in India. In the United States, private institutions can offer courses in Ayurveda, but there’s no formal license or regulation.
The spread of misinformation about Ayurveda
Perhaps you’ve noticed the recent surge in spas and beauty brands labeling themselves as Ayurvedic or Ayurveda-inspired. Unfortunately, there’s a severe lack of regulation when it comes to this, which often leads to the spread of information that doesn’t actually align with Ayurvedic advice. Ajmera stumbled upon one such example of this during a visit to a popular “Ayurvedic” spa in Los Angeles. “I was looking at the ingredients for a spice blend that was recommended to balance the pitta dosha, or the fiery constitution of the body and mind according to Ayurveda,” she says. “I was very surprised to find that the product contained heating ingredients, such as black pepper, that are considered aggravating to the constitution of the naturally heated pitta dosha.”
Ajmera says she would not have experienced this in India. “For a product [or service] to be considered truly Ayurvedic certified in India, it has to go through a verification process for its quality by an autonomous body called the Quality Council of India (QCI), which the Indian government helped set up to formalize quality accreditations, including the screening of Ayurvedic products. The QCI has a voluntary certification that is part of AYUSH — the Indian department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy — that gives products quality labels,” she explains. The process can be compared to how the United States Department of Agriculture regulates the term “organic” (though, as Allure has long reported, the words “natural” and “clean” don’t have any official oversight).
The absence of a corresponding regulatory body in the US unfortunately allows brands to get away with the kind of experience Ajmera had at the Ayurvedic spa. The misinformation could ultimately deter people from trying more Ayurvedic products. “Consumers might end up trusting any brand that attaches the word Ayurveda to their marketing to increase their sales,” says Ajamera. And if they don’t have a beneficial experience, they might lose trust in the science behind it, she adds.
Michelle Ranavat, founder of Ranavat, the first South Asian-founded Ayurvedic skin-care brand to launch at Sephora, has found that even when brands do get it right, they aren’t giving credit where credit is due. “It isn’t uncommon to find skin-care products using Ayurvedic ingredients without mentioning the science behind it,” Ranavat says. “Ayurveda is not a mixture of random herbal ingredients but rather, it employs thousands of years of wisdom and knowledge to develop formulations. It is extremely important that we lead with education and give credit to the science of Ayurveda, so that more people can understand the origins.”
How beauty brands can incorporate Ayurveda respectfully
For South Asian founders like Ranavat and Akash Mehta, co-founder of Fable & Mane, preserving the sanctity of Ayurveda means incorporating traditions that have been used in their own families for generations. “It’s a vast field with room for interpretation, and different brands may emphasize different aspects of Ayurvedic knowledge. This is what makes it exciting,” Mehta says. The brand — which he co-founded with his sister — launched with HoliRoots Hair Oil, which contains ashwagandha, a type of root that, according to Ayurvedic thought, helps with rejuvenation.
The sentiment is echoed by Mira Kulkarni, the chief managing director of hair-, skin-, and body-care brand Forest Essentials: “Some brands may focus on traditional Ayurvedic formulations and techniques, while others may blend Ayurveda with modern skin-care technology,” she says. Her brand does the former: Nayantara Clear Lash and Brow Serum, for example, forgoes lash-enhancing peptides in favor of amla fruit extract and fenugreek for softening and strengthening, as per an age-old Ayurvedic formulation.
How to combat misinformation about Ayurveda
Mehta believes that to combat misinformation, an inclusive effort is required by brands as well as consumers. “With our brand, we have been trying to challenge this narrative by consistently sharing childhood stories of Ayurvedic rituals with our grandmother, educating customers on Ayurvedic ingredients, and, of course, practicing Ayurveda ourselves,” he says.
For consumers looking to gain a better understanding of Ayurvedic principles and the regulation thereof, the Quality Council of India is a helpful resource. Ultimately, if the centuries-old science of Ayurveda is to weather the storm of misrepresentation, it helps to keep educating ourselves however we can — from understanding the ingredients used in Indian apothecaries and home kitchens to learning the nuances of time-tested rituals. Together, we can ensure that Ayurveda can thrive in its most authentic form in the 21st century and beyond.
Read more stories about the intersection of beauty and wellness:
- Could Lymphatic Drainage Massage Help Improve Your Digestion?
- Why Your Skin Might Freak Out During an Endometriosis Flare-Up
- Skin-Care Culture Can Be Fuel for Addictive Behaviors
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